Pipe cleaning machine



y 2, 1963 R. e. HUNT 3,095,592

PIPE CLEANING MACHINE Filed June 5, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS 2 TO @a 5 9% 5 m w l N e 4 7 I G 2 u n 3 4 3 4 I\ T .F 2 s m a H O Y 5 2O 4KB 3 88 l I B %m 6 2 W Q 3 u 5 s/ 7 4 o H 2 l R 2 5 8 4. 5 2 .l 3 I I o4 9 q 4 e m Filed June 5, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ROBERT G. HUNT W vkaw ATTOQNE United States Patent 3,095,592 PIPECLEANING MACHINE Robert G. Hunt, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to MarcoProducts Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a firm Filed June 5, 1961, Ser.No. 114,766 2 Claims. (Cl. 15104.3)

This invention has to do with power-driven devices for storing androtatively feeding and retracting flexible plumbers snakes.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved power-drivenmachine for handling flexible plumbers snakes of the type comprising acoil spring wire.

Another object is to provide a machine of the type indicated embodying areadily demountable cartridge or drum for containing a limited length ofplumbers snake to enable the quick-change of the cartridges or drums aswhere successive cartridges are used to supply the needed length ofsnake.

A further object is to provide a novel storage cartridge or container inwhich the snake can be readily wound and retained which is of a uniqueopen-type conntruction and relatively lightweight, and which is soconstructed that kinking of the snake is prevented.

Another object is to provide a machine which can be readily manufacturedand which one person can easily handle both in transporting andoperating the same.

These and other objects will be apparent from the drawings and thefollowing description. Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a machine embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the front of the machine of FIG. 1; i 7

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the rear of the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a central sectional elevational view on an enlarged scale online 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view on line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view online 6-6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary inverted plan view on line 7-7 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 8 is a plan view on line 8-8 of FIG. 5.

More particularly describing the invention, the machine includes a baseframe, designated generally 11, including inner frames 12 and outerframes 14. Each inner frame is generally U-shaped and has parallel legs15 and a connecting sect-ion 16. Each outer frame 14 has two upwardlyconverging legs 17 extending from a base section 18. Sections 16 and 18of the frames form a stable base for the machine since the sections 16and 18 on one side of the machine are widely spaced from the sections 16and 18 at the other side due to the diverging relation of the frames 12and 14 as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The inner and outer frames 12 and 14 have their upper ends rigidlysecured in front and rear supports 20' and 21. The rear support 21 isprovided with parallel vertical bores 22 which receive vertical legs 23of an upper frame 24. The latter is detachably secured at the properelevation by thumbscrews 25. The frame 24 includes a Ushaped uppersection 26 which serves both as a handle for an operator in transportingthe device and as an axle for a wheel 27.

The rear legs 17 of the outer frames 14 are provided with brackets 30 toreceive an axle 31 which carries wheels 32.

The construction of the frame is such that the machine normally standsupon the base sections 16 and 18 of the two frames 12 and 14, but itwill be apparent that by tipping the device rearwardly and using theupper frame section 26 as a handle, the machine may be readily wheeled.Also the machine may be turned 90 from Patented July 2, 1963 FIG. 1counterclockm'se so as to rest on all three wheels and become aself-supporting vehicle.

A motor 35 is carried upon a motor-support plate 36, the latter beingprovided with two depending rods 37 which are slidably received in bores38 of the rear support member 21. Coil springs 40 on the rods areinterposed between the parts 21 and 36 to yieldably support the motor atthe proper elevation.

Mounted'between the front and rear supports 20 and 21, respectively, isa cartridge, container or reel assembly including a cartridge or reel 42and a guide tube 43. The rear support is provided with a bearing 45 torotatably support a stub shaft 46 therein whichprojects forwardlythereof for a limited distance, as best seen in FIG. 4. The cartridge orreel 42 is provided with a central hub 48 adapted to receive the stubshaft and be retained thereon by a setscrew 49 which enters a groove 50in the shaft.

The guide tube 43 is journaled at its forward end in a bearing 52provided on the forward support 20. At its other end the tube issupported by the stub shaft 46 and for this purpose is provided with ashort shaft 53 fitted with a projecting pin 54 for reception in a bore55 of stub shaft 46.

The guide tube itself, through which the flexible memher or snake Stravels, has an internal diameter substantially greater than the outerdiameter of the snake so that the latter can readily move therethrough.

For the purpose of disassembling the parts to change reels the bearing52 is mounted to be moved forward from the position in which it is shownand thus enable the guide tube to be removed. This is accomplished byproviding two apertured lugs 58 in which are slidably mounted shortshafts 59 upon which the bearing is carried. Setscrews 60- provi-de foranchoring the parts in the proper position. With this construction, thebearing 52 can be moved forward far enough to permit removal of theguide tube 43 and thus allow quick removal of the reel or cartridge andthe replacement thereof with another.

The forward support 20 is provided with a pair of jaws 62 for receivingthe snake S, these jaws preferably being formed internally as half-nutsto threadedly engage the snake and permit the same to be advanced byrotating the snake relative to the jaws, the snake itself being ofspring wire wound helically. The jaws are mounted for limited movementtoward and away from each other by a bolt 64 mounted in each jaw andextending through a slot 65 in the support 20. The jaws are controlledby a lever 66 with a handle 67. The lever is provided with two parallelslots 71 which receive pins 74 mounted in and depending from therespective jaws. The lever has a central, double boss 72 which receivesa stud 75 serving to retain the parts. It will be apparent that pivotalmovement of the lever serves to open and close the jaws.

One of the features of the invdntion is the construction of the reel orcartridge itself. This includes the aforementioned hub 48 and a diskwheel portion 78 extending radially therefrom and terminating in acircular, axially extending flange '80. The latter is provided with agroove 81 to receive a belt 82 which is driven by a sheave 83 on themotor shaft 84.

Mounted in the flange of the reel tat circumferentially spaced regionsand extending radially therefrom are a plurality of bent rods 86. Eachof these includes a straight, radial-1y extending section 87 and asemicircular arcu ate section 88 therebeyond which terminates in aregion spaced axially of the straight section and short of the endthereof, the section 88 extending through ap-' that the same may becoiled within the rods 86. While it is not essential, ring 90 preferablyis provided with a rounded face 94 opposite the disk portion 78 of thedevice to facilitate passage of the snake.

In the normal feeding and retracting of the snake by rotation of thereel 42 with jaws 62 engaging the snake, the reel and the guide tube arerotatable independently of each other. However, under certainconditions, as when the snake meets an obstruction, the snake must berotated without feeding the same and it is then desirable to be able tolock the reel and guide tube together to prevent independent movementthereof. This is accomplished by a locking pin 100 which is normallyheld retracted (as FIG. 4) by a spring 101. In order to lock the partsagainst relative rotation the pin is pushed forward, compressing thespring and locating the end of the pin in one of the apertures 78' ofthe reel disk 78. A setscrew 102 is provided for holding the pin inextended position. With the reel and guide tube locked together, and thejaws 62 retracted, the guide tube acts as a torque arm during rotationof the reel and tube.

It should be pointed out that the motor mount serves through its springs40 to maintain proper tension on the belt which drives the reel. At thesame time the motor can be readily depressed to remove the belt, or itcan be readily removed altogether from the frame where this may bedesirable.

. Another feature of the invention is the construction of the reelwherein the snake feeds into the reel at the rear of the space in whichit coils and then moves forwardly to coil first in the front portion ofthe space and progressively coil from front to rear thereby avoidingkinking.

Although I have illustrated and described preferred forms of myinvention, I contemplate that various changes and modifications can bemade therein without departing from the invention, the scope of which isindicated by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A reel for housing a flexible plumbers snake formed of helicallycoiled spring wire, comprising a circular wheel disk having a centralhub and having a rim with a drive belt-receiving peripheral groovetherein, a plurality of rod-like members mounted in said rim atcircumferentially spaced points in a plane adjacent but axially spacedfrom the groove, said members each including a straight radiallyprojecting section immediately beyond the rim and a circularly curvedforwardly projecting arcuate section therebeyond extending through about270, and a ring of somewhat greater diameter than said wheel disk spacedaxially forward thereof, the arcuate sections of said rod-like membershaving their ends mounted in and supporting said ring, said ring andwheel disk defining an annular opening into the annular snake-receivingspace defined by said rod-like members.

2. The reel set forth in claim 1 in which said ring projects radiallyinto the annular snake-receiving space defined by said rod-like membersto form a forwardly facing abutment shoulder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,042,407 Kugelman May 26, 1936 2,111,527 Blane Mar. 15, 1938 2,167,268Sanger July 25, 1939 2,267,493 Clotz Dec. 23, 1941 2,272,387 TherrianFeb. 10, 1942 2,438,236 Strorn Mar. 23, 1948 2,468,490 Di Joseph Apr.26, 1949 2,619,665 Hopkins et al. Dec. 2, 1952 2,624,483 Ketzel Jan. 6,1953 2,705,642 Chaser Apr. 5, 1955 2,953,799 Arnold Sept. 27, 19603,007,186 Olsson Nov. 7, 1961

1. A REEL HOUSING A FLEXIBLE PLUMBERS'' SNAKE FORMED OF A HELICALLYCOILED SPRING WIRE, COMPRISING A CIRCULAR WHEEL DISK HAVING A CENTRALHUB AND HAVING A RIM WITH A DRIVE BELT-RECEIVING PERIPHERAL GROOVETHEREIN, A PLURALITY OF ROD-LIKE MEMBERS MOUNTED IN SAID RIM ATCIRCUMPERENTIALLY SPACED POINTS IN A PLANE ADJACENT BUT AXIALLY SPACEDFROM THE GROOVE, SAID MEMBERS EACH INCLUDING A STRAIGHT RADIALLYPROJECTING SECTION IMMEDIATELY BEYOND THE RIM AND A CIRCULARLY CURVEDFORWARDLY PROJECTIING ARCUATE SECTION THEREBEYOND EXTENDING THROUGHABOUT 27O*, AND A RING OF SOMEWHAT GREATER DIAMETER THAN SAID WHEEL DISKSPACED AXIALLY FORWARD THEREOF, THE ARCUATE SECTIONS OF SAID ROD-LIKEMEMBERS HAVING THEIR ENDS MOUNTED IN AND SUPPORTING SAID RING, SAID RINGAND WHEEL DISK DEFINING AN ANNULAR OPENING INTO THE ANNULARSNAKE-RECEIVING SPACE DEFINED BY SAID ROD-LIKE MEMBERS.